Automotive head lamp



W. B. CHURCHER AUTOMOTIVE HEAD LAMP Jglly l0, 1928. 1,676,769

Filed June 30,l 1926 ngz.

`BY/ I )64s ATTORNEY,

- Patented July l0, i929,

Unirse str j COMPANY, 0E CLEVELAND, OHIO, A COBPOE'ATIONOF OHIO.

AUTOMOTIVE VI-IEAD LAMP.

Appnauoii median@ so, 192e. serial No.` 119,764.

`My inventionrelates toimprovements inl head lamps, and it'r'elat'esparticularly to head lamps employing illuminating bulbs having a lowervoltage rat-ing than the voltage ot the battery or other source `ofcurrent therefor. In many automotive 4vehicle elec'- 4tricalinstallations, comprising rsource of current andv one'or yniore headvlamps for the vehicle, it so happens that it-is dii'licult tovcoininercially manufacture durablelam'p' 'lil ments Vetl'ectiveforrallof'the purposes intended, giving the lamp filaments the voltage-rating of the source 'of current. For instance, in the so-calledtilt-ray vhead lamp system, whereinaplurality oflilaments havingdifferent ocal characteristics relative to the lampreflector,v itI hasbeen Yfound more expedient to in anufactureV the filaments for suc-h alamp'bulb'havinga voltagerating of substantially G8 volts, than to-makethem i with a rating of 12%16 volts, whichis the voltage range of thesource ot" current commonly prov-ided in many automotive vehicles. Itlis necessary, inv sucha case, to pr0- vvide various expcdients to"insure that the voltage effective atthe filament terminals is withinthe rated Voltage vof the bulb filament,

it being proposedheretofore'fto place apair of likelilaments of a pairof Vhead lamps in series, so as to divide the impressed voltage of thebatteryor other sourceot" current between the lamp filaments. i j" Suchan arrangement is undesirable for the reason thatfilaments varyv involtage ratings and time of responsiveness to the effect of heatingcurrent, with the result' A that occasionally. onelilament of apairserially connected, being more quickly responsive to the .heatingeffect of the current, will be overheated before the other'iilament issufficiently heated. Also, at the same time,iit is undesirable that bothlilaments should fail, due to a burning out ot theone fila'- ment ot twoserially connected lila-ments. ,lt has also been'l proposed to provide aresistance unit in series-with the pairs of multiplied ilaments, butthis arrangement has the disadvantageof Vimpressing an undesirable highvoltage upon theterminalsot the surviving lilament should the otherlilament of the pair be burned out or its `cir- `cuit inadvertentlyYopened. Thereforei it has been found that an individualV resistance unitmust be provided for `each filamenta making four resistance unitsV forappairvofV vof certain parts comprising a modified rey means therefor;-v

units at. the switch Jfor controlling h tlie circuit ot thelamps, auditis likewiseu'n'dehr sirablethat 1t be positioned vatother points- Llampbulbs, each having two lilainentsilt .i Vis very undesirablegto placetheseresistanceon the automotive Vehicleheretoforepro-f posed, so farasl am aware."z

y,fMy present. invention, therefore, has for an object the provisionofaresist-ance' unit in a head lampcasin-gso related tothe other 'headlamppart-s that imdesirablefeli'ects of the unit are avoided.

' Another objectof my invention is to provide an improved mounting for ahead lairip casing contained resistanceunitf f .Another object ol myinvention is to pro'-y vide in a unitary structure a head lamp unitcomprisinga pair of resistances, one for each of the lamp filaments andso `positioned'thatI electrical connections .may 4readily be madebetweenthe'supply electrical conductors and the AheadY lamp bulblilam'ents contained within the lamp casing', f 1 -1 i mother object ofinvention iste Vprooperable from a source .of current of higher voltage.

Oth'erobject-s o-my invention and theinn ventifon itself will be readilyapparent by reference to the following descriptionofan 7 embodimentoiimy invention, in u /hichde-l .scriptionlike parts will beindicatedirby like. ,v

l Fig. l2 shows. a section takenlon theline 2 2 ofFig. 1;

Fig is aV 'fragmentary elevational View sistance element; and additionalsupporting 1 ig. 4 shows a fragmentary elevational View of a modifiedsupport loran emb`odi' 'i mentqof my invention 1 Fig. 5 shows y'aperspective View. of a mountingV spring employed in the ysaidembodiments; L --l FigLG shows a diagrammaticfview cfa circuitarrangement in whichthe resistance Of Figs. 1,' Qandfll/'may beincluded.

ile

vide an improved tilt-ray head lamp. hav- L80 y l -ing lrelatively lowvoltagev lamp filaments fiar ' modification. Y Referring now to thedifferent liguresl off Fig. 47 is a partial diagrammatic view of adrawingyinY all of which 'like parts are designated bylilrer'elerence.,characters, at 1', I f

show alamp casing having, in the embodiment illustrated,'tubular sidewalls 3, a rear end wall 2, and a front glass 1, Athe showing offwhichis omitted in Figi'l, 'secured at the front 'ofA- the casing'togetherwiththe flanged p rim ci a reflector 6' by ailangedclamping ringZin any ysuitableway, but so that the' front glass and reflectorjareclamped at their rimportions to the mouth of the casing and supportedthere-by'.v "The reflector rini is centrally perforated at 8 to admitthe cylin!V I Y drical lamp socket element 9which supports Y no anelectric bulb 10 `whose base11`is project-A ed within .the socket, ilyy; The socket vand baise have the usual focusing and electrical circuitextending provisi0ns,so that these will vnot be e explained here, beingwell known, except that it may 'l be stated Vthat witlia ktilt-ray bulb,such as Athe bulb V10, having Ya plurality of iilainents l0 vand 41, thecommon terminal for the lilaments is connected to'the tubular metallic-band l'encircling Vthe tube baise andthe Vdo Votherterminals eachindividually to oneoll: :u

the iilanients are Vextended rearwardly to electricalV connecting'terminals 14 and 15 fthe terminal 1a being extendedV to the lilanient40 andthe terminal 15 being electrically eXtended'to the ilament 41. Itkwill also'b'e understood ythat one of thelilanients,

'siichas thev filament 40, will be sopositioned relative to the focalpoint of the reflector 6 that the rays of light from the ila'ment l0v'willbe project-ed from the reflector in a direction substantially*below the horizontal,

.andis used for the so-called dim'ligh ythe filament 11fis'so disposedthatthe rays of light will be V.horizontal and-slightly'be- `lowhorizontal producing i the so-called ,bright or ,drivingWlighn In" theappended claims it will be understood that wherever VIvihave used theterm tilt-ray, I use it as delinitive ot that type of electriclamphaving aplurality of *fila- Vmentswhichv may be-Vselectively'heated bydirectingrcuri'ent through yone or the other l of Vsaid lilamentsselectively and comprising A co Ato be lreflected from thereflector atdiffer e. Ient, angles; that'is the rays VVfrom one of the an`individual terminal for each filament,

lwhereby dilierent electric circuits toithe dii'erent lilaments may behad, Vand which lamp-bulb is capable oit' being placed in such aifo'calposition relative toa concave reflector receiving the bulb, that thedifferent filaments thereof '-will,when selectively iirdividiia-llyenergized, cause theI rays of light filaments willbe tilted relative tofrom anotherpof the filaments.

I use theterm Vntilt-ray, therefore,

the rays in the claims as being my choice of a term for an element otthel claim having the above de- Y scribed properties and structure.

At 16, I show asupp'ort iior theliead lamp having preferably convexcrown 17, the

head lamp being secured tosuch support.

crown by means ot' 'a'bolt 18,iiihose head is. disposed within thecasing and supported byv a lanipbodystillener 19, the stein ofthe boltbeingprojected through an opening in the oylindricalwall' ot' thecasing," through the convexlcrown 17 yofthe support', a? initv 21 beingscrew threaded on t-lieend of the bolt, a bearingwasher 22 "beinginterposed between a lock rwasherf23 under Athe lnut and the '.crow'n17Y of the supportohaving an 'enlarged opening 24 ytor,permittingsiiiivelling ^,movements of tliefbolt' 18, is Vclampedfbe- `i. Y

tween tliebearing washer QQ-a'lnd the outer bearingvportion of thebody'stiifener 19.

feo' s f theconcave surface of the crown 17. rlhus f The engagingsurfaces-ot` thev `bearing washers and the'crown are formed to eff-eet abearingV contact.`

The body stiliener element 19 a tace engaging the outersuriace of tlic;.';ylindri cal wall 3 and conforms to the forint-hereof, and. is rivetedateither end by'fa' plurality of rivets 25 to the wall oi the casing.The,4 'Y

'bolt' receiving openings ot tlie'stilener. ele-V ment and casingrwallare preferably only sufficientlyvlarge to receive the bolt', whereas theopening 24 for the crown17is sullicient-YV ly'enlarged to .permitswiveling ot lamp :upon the crown.

At26,1 show one of a pair of springesupports havingbaselanges 27 andaVcoil supporting apertu'red projection 28 extending ffrom'vftlieopposite end of the support; from the baseilange and fromtlieloppositewside thc Ahead thereof. Thefibase flanges vare apertuied at52, so that thelilrefsupport 25 inaybeoppoy sitely disposed and carriedont-hebody'ot the lampwwalls 3 andriveted thereto `to- Vgetherwith theouter stilener element 19 by" 'means of therivets The resistance'l unitY is preferably of tubular `form 4and is divided f into twolongitudinally spaced resistance portions,j50,and 51;,each having aresistance coil therein, the onev resistance `coil being shown at 111and the other resistance coil being shown at 112. The resistance `coilsmay be wound on a tubefas illustrated; The

apertured projecting Vportions "28 'of the CII of the springs to retainthe unit in place. yAt 29, I shovva tubular socket element projectedthrough a wall of the lamp casing vand supported thereby, and having aninsulating block 30 disposed in its inner end with a pair of electricalcircuit conducting rods 31 and 32 projected therethrough, electricalcircuit conductors 43'and 44 leading from theterminal rods 31A and 32 toterminal-s of Ythe resistance windings'lll and 112, respectively. Theother terminals of the two windings are electrically connected,respectively, by circuit,conductors'14 and'l toV filaments and 41 of thelamp-bulb. 'l

The tubular .socket element 29 is adapted ,to receive a' plug 34insertable withinV the socket to extend electrical connections from apairy of ycircuit conducting terminal contacts 33 to the terminal rods31 and 32. Springs 35 embedded within the block 30 each resilientlypress therods 32 and 31,

respectively, against the terminal contact 33.

The plug contact 33v is extended by an electrical circuit conductor tothe source ot' cui'rent supply for the lamp. rIhe block and socket 34-29respectively, are ot any'usual lwell known construction and are shownmerely to illustrate themanner of extending the connection from such asocket through 'the resi-stance coils and the .lamp filaments.

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically av circuit arrangement in which myinventionvmay be embodied wherein at 'I show a 12-volt battery and at 69I show ay switch blade moved n from a normal position 70 to either ofpositionsv 71 and-72 whereby resistance'111 or Y 112 may be included incircuit with lila-ments 40 or 41 respectively. 'Ijhe value ot resistanceof the resistance coils will preferably be vmade thesame as thei'esistance'o'f the filaments, when hot, in all cases where it isdesired to operate G-v'olt filaments, 40 and 41 Vfrom a 12-volt battery65. ,l According to Ohms law, it will be possible to vary the resistanceaccording/to the voltage of the battery and the resistance et vtheVfilaments when hot.

Itwill be noted that the tubular resistance coil unit, comprisingresistance coils 111 and 112, has a sulicient area as to Vproperlydissipate heat resulting from the'tlow of Vcurrent through theresistances, andis mounted in such va way thatthe eiieet ot such a heatwill not be eilective to iniurefthe reliecting surface oi''the reflector6. The unit is placed relatively low in'the casing and in the middleportion t-hereot'` vso that the flow of heated air ,upwardly therefrom'will be circulatory to dissipate the heat rising from the coil againstupper outer walls ot the casing, and being chilled will follow thelateral walls of .the casingv to the space below the coil. V Y

Fig? shows a modicaticn ,of my invention wherein the lamp 10 isinsulated by an velectrical connections "therethrough,

insulating 4tube 81'. from thezsoclret' `9, and

aternii`nal 62 inserted within the-tube 81 contacts with Ithe metalliccapfll of the lamp to which is connected the common terminal63 oftheklaiiiplilameiits 40 and 41. In thi-s way, the ccmmon return wire leadingfrom the terminal 62 to ground at 64' lead through a singleresistancecoil 60 wliiehis effective to reduce the current iowing through eitherIone-ot tlie'lilaments'4() or 41 which may at any time be included incircuit with the battery 65 'in any way such vas by a'switch 6G havingalternate contactsi? and 68. c i v ,v Y

Having thus describedmy 'invention ina specilic embodiment, I arm awarethat numerous-and extensive departures maybe made from the embodimentherein illustrated and described but without departing from the spiritot' my invention.

Iclaim; j t l. In a headlamp, the combination with filaments, aresistance unit comprising a pair of resistances, a body stiil'enerelementl con-v tacting with aportion of the walls of the a casing, alampbulb having a plurality of p lOl) nationwith a head lamp bulbcomprising an electricl iilament, ay lamp casing comprising a backand'side walls, a reflector having a forwardly disposed concavereflecting `surface and a'glass dislrdisposed.inffront of theVreflector, said disk and said reflector se-V cured at their edges to thesideV walls( of the casing, said bulb being carried on-'the con-1UV caveretlector',y a connection element'carried on a wall et the casingto therear of the reflector and adapted to extend electrical connections tromthe exterior to the `interior n ot the casing, a resistance unitdisposedin the space. between the reiiecto-r and the rear 'casing wall,a support for'the headlamp,y

means .to reentorce the casing wall atits poi'- tions whereinVconnection .is made between said wall and the support, anda supportingarm forv the unit, carried by said reenfoicing means, adapted to supportthe unit out of y Contact with the walls ot the casing and the,ieiiector, and anelectrical circuit connection interconnect-ii`1` thebulb, resistance unit-,Tand electric connection' element;

' V3. Inan electric head lamp, the combina-Y vtion with aheadlam]`3'biilb,a lamp casing comprisinga back and side walls,a reflectorrhaving'aforwardly disposed concave reflects ing surface and Va glass.disk disposed in front, of the reflector, said disk and said re--fleetor securedat heir edges to the side VWalls ofthe casing, said bulbbeing carried onthe concave reflector, a connection'ele vment carried onawvall ofthe casing to the,

rearr ofthe reflector kand. adapted to extendelectrical'connecLions-froni the exterior -to the interior Aof thecasing, aresistance `unit Ydisposed-in the space between the reflectorVand the rear casing wall, a, support for the head-la1np,fineans toreenforce the casing ywall Vat itsv portions wherein connection is madebetween said wall andthe support, a supporting aim for the unit carriedby said reenforcing means adapted to support the unit out ofcontact'with the walls of the casing and the reflector, and anelectrical Vcircuit connection':interconnecting the bulb, re-

sistance unit, and elec-tric connection clement, said bulb haviiiga pairof lighting fil aments, said unit having a pair of resistance elements,each one of said elements being connected inserial circuit withaidifferent one of lsaid filamentsby sadrelectric circuit conductors.

4,. In an electric head lamp, the combinatienwith a headlamp bulbcomprising an electric,v filament, a lainpcasing comprising a baclrandside walls, a reflector having a forwardlydisposed concave reflectingsurface and a glass disk disposed in front 'of the reflectonsaiddisk andsaid reflector secured at' their edgesto the side walls-ofthe casing,

saidbulb being carried on the concave. re-

flector, a connection element carried on a wall of the casing totherearof the reflector and adapted to extend electrical connectionsfrointhe exterior to the interior of thecasing-,faresistanceunitdisposed in the space between the reflector andthe rearfcasing wall,a support for the head lamp, means Vto reenforceV theV i casing Wall atits portions wherein connection is made between said wallandthesupiport, la pair of supporting ar ns forthe unit carried bysaid'reenforcing means adapted to support 'the Vunit out of Y contactwith the walls of `the casing and the reflector, and'anfelectricalcircuit connection interconnect-ing the bulb, resistance unit, and

electric connection element, each ofsaid arms b.einfg `V rigidly securedto. the casing and to saidreenforcing element at oneof Vits ends, saidresistance `unit being of tubular form,

, they other end of each supporting arm making'supporting engagementwith an endy of said unit. Y

5. Inan electric head lamp, thecombinak,ti'onfwithal head lampbulb'coinprising an k electric filament, a lamp casing comprising a backand side walls, a reflector .having a forwardly disposed concavereflecting surface and a glass `disk disposed in front of Athereflector, said diskandsaid reflector secured at their edges tothe sidewalls of the casing, said bulb being carried on the-- concave reflector,a connection element carried on awall of the-casing tothe rearof thereflector and adapted to extendelec'trical connections from the-exteriorto* .the yinteriorof the casingy la resistance unit disposed in ythespace between Vthe. reflector and the rearcasing wall, a lsupportfor-'theliead lamp, means to reenforce thel casing wall at its portionswherein connection'is made be-V veen said wall, thesupport and a pairofsupporting arms for the unit carried by said reenforcing means adaptedto support thecunitV out of contact with the wallsvpf the casing and thereflector, and an electrical circuit connection;interconnectingV thebulb,

resistance unit,v and electric connection elec ment, each of said armsbeingyrigidly se- .iredfto the casing and said reenforcing elen'ient atone of its ends, said resistance unit being of tubular fornnthe otherend-0f each supporting arm makingspring pressed engagement withanend ofsaid unit, said tubular unit beingk recessed at its ends toreceiveprojections of the said ariiis.V

6. In a head lamp, a "tilt-ray-7 bulb therefor, a concave reflectorsupporting at its center the said bulb, ahead lamp casing having rearand side walls, said'irefiector secured at its `edges to forwardlydisposed portionof the casing side walls,.an electric resistance unitsupported `by the casingv intermedia-te the reflector and Vaside andrear `casing wall,

means adapted to extend electrical circuit connections through a wall-ofthe casing, an

electrical circuit connection interconnecting said means and the dualfilaments Aof said tilt-ray bulb, and ayoke elementsupport:r

ed by the casingfat an, intermediate portion and removably arms. ,Y n l7. In a head lamp, a tilt-ray bulb therefor, `a concave reflectorsupporting atgits center thesaid bulb, a head lamp casing having rea-rand side walls, said reflector secured at its edges toy forwardlydisposed portionof thecasing side walls, an electric ysupporting theunit by its lli) In testimony whereof lI hereunto Vaffix my Y signaturethis 9th day of June, 1926.

y WiLLiAMc/B. enunciare.

